What’s the secret to happiness? The TV commercials tell us we need a new car, or a new wardrobe, or new furniture for our homes. We might imagine that a new job or a new spouse will make our lives complete. But what do we do when the money runs out? What do we do when our health fails? What do we do when the storms come and we find ourselves sitting in the dark? What do we do when we come face to face with how helpless we really are where it comes to the things that matter the most?

Jesus says that’s when we are truly blessed. For it’s when we are poor in spirit, when we abandon our pride and humble ourselves before God, when we stop trying to be our own boss and realize that we are subjects in the Kingdom of Heaven – that’s when we see things as they really are.

Moreover, it’s when we abandon our pride and mourn the way that our sins have hurt God and other people that we will find comfort in the forgiveness Christ extends to us from the cross. It’s when we stop chasing after the fleeting pleasures of the world and start hungering and thirsting to bring our lives more into line with God’s will that we will find true satisfaction, true fulfillment.

And humbling ourselves before God will transform our relationships with others. For knowing that we are nothing more than sinners in need of a Savior makes it possible for us to be gentle and merciful with others who are just as broken and needy as we are. It’s knowing how Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross has made peace between God and man that makes us eager to make peace with other people, seeking reconciliation even with those who have hurt us the most deeply, even with those who insult us and despise us.

So, maybe we Americans can find a blessing in our current situation. For we can’t stop this parade of storms hammering our Gulf Coast. We can’t make COVID go away. We can’t fix our dysfunctional political system. But if we’ll turn to the One Who can still the storms with a word, if we’ll humble ourselves before the One Who can heal with a touch, if we’ll give our lives to the King of Kings, maybe we can rejoice and be glad. For in drawing close to Christ, we will be truly blessed, regardless of the outward circumstances of our lives.

Matthew 5:1-12 (NASB)

And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
2 And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying,
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.
12 “Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”